Research Study Proposal 3 In this class, you will complete a Research Study Proposal. The Research Study Proposal is divided into three pieces: Research Study Proposal Part I, due in week 3Research St

The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescent Mental Health

Jordan Ogden

American Military University

Professor Donna Joy, PhD

3/24/2024

The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescent Mental Health

Introduction

Social media has become increasingly prevalent in modern society, especially among adolescent and teenage populations. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok now play a significant role in how youth interact, communicate, and spend their free time. However, some recent research has begun to explore potential links between excessive social media engagement and worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents (Boer et al., 2021). Given the pervasiveness of social media and the vulnerability of teenage mental health, further investigation into this topic could provide valuable insights. This research proposal aims to examine the relationship between social media use and indicators of adolescent well-being.

Research Question

What is the association between the amount of daily time spent using social media and scores on standardized measures of depression and anxiety in adolescents ages 13-17?

Hypotheses

Adolescents who spend more than two hours per day on average using social media will show higher depression and anxiety scores compared to those who spend less than two hours a day, after controlling for covariates.

The null hypothesis is that there will be no difference in depression and anxiety scores between adolescents who use social media for more or less than two hours per day.

Variables

The independent variable in this study is daily social media use. It will be operationalized as the average number of hours adolescents report spending on major social media platforms each day. Examples of such platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok. To quantify this variable, participants will be asked to estimate the number of hours they spend actively using each site on a typical school day as well as a non-school day (Valkenburg et al., 2022). Their responses will then be averaged to calculate overall daily social media usage. Measuring time spent engaged with social media aims to provide an objective indicator of the level of online social interaction and exposure.

The dependent variables are measures of depression and anxiety. Standardized self-report assessment tools with established reliability and validity will be used to evaluate these constructs. For depression, the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) will be administered. This evaluates characteristic attitudes and symptoms associated with depression including negative mood, low self-esteem, and interpersonal issues. To measure anxiety, participants will complete the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED). This assesses panic/somatic symptoms, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, social anxiety, and school anxiety. Both the CDI and SCARED provide clinically significant cutoff scores, allowing analysis of how social media use correlates with elevated depression and anxiety levels. These standardized instruments allow for comparison to population norms and prior research using the same metrics.

Several potential confounding variables will be assessed and statistically controlled for. These include demographic factors like age, gender, family structure, and socioeconomic status. Age and gender have been correlated with social media habits as well as rates of depression/anxiety (Abdi-Jaoude et al., 2020). Family factors may also influence mental health or access to technology. socioeconomic status serves as a proxy for other contextual stresses experienced. Participants will also be screened for any previous clinical diagnosis of mental health issues to isolate the effects specifically related to social media versus preexisting conditions. Properly accounting for relevant control variables strengthens conclusions about the independent variables' impact.

Participants

A sample of 200 adolescents between the ages of 13-17 will be recruited from local high schools. This age range captures a critical developmental period experiencing increased social media engagement as well as risk for the onset of mood/anxiety disorders. Participation will be voluntary with parental consent. To obtain a demographically representative sample, student recruitment will aim for roughly equal numbers of males and females as well as proportions reflecting the school population's ethnic/racial diversity and household income levels (Schonning et al., 2020). Exclusion criteria include developmental disabilities precluding valid survey responses.

Sampling Method

The sampling method will be cluster sampling, with entire classrooms selected from grade levels to participate. This method provides a built-in recruitment structure via established classroom rosters. It is also likely to yield a more socioeconomically and ethnically diverse sample than convenience sampling of individuals. Previous related studies examining this age group have utilized samples ranging from 100-300 adolescents, so a target of 200 participants was chosen to obtain sufficient statistical power.

Conclusion

Therefore, this research proposal aims to explore the relationship between social media usage and mental health in adolescents. The topic addresses a significant issue given how integral social platforms have become in modern teenage life. However, concerns have emerged about the potential negative impacts of excessive online engagement. This study seeks to examine associations between social media use quantified as daily hours spent on major apps and standardized measures of depression and anxiety symptoms. A sample of 200 high school students aged 13 to 17 will be recruited through cluster sampling of classrooms. Relevant control variables will also be assessed to isolate the specific effects of social media engagement from other influencing factors (Ivie et al., 2020). It is hoped that gaining a clearer understanding of this issue can help inform guidelines around healthy technology habits during developmental periods of increased vulnerability.

References

Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K. T., & Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. Cmaj, 192(6), E136-E141.

Boer, M., Stevens, G. W., Finkenauer, C., de Looze, M. E., & van den Eijnden, R. J. (2021). Social media use intensity, social media use problems, and mental health among adolescents: Investigating directionality and mediating processes. Computers in Human Behavior, 116, 106645.

Ivie, E. J., Pettitt, A., Moses, L. J., & Allen, N. B. (2020). A meta-analysis of the association between adolescent social media use and depressive symptoms. Journal of affective disorders, 275, 165-174.

Schønning, V., Hjetland, G. J., Aarø, L. E., & Skogen, J. C. (2020). Social media use and mental health and well-being among adolescents–a scoping review. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 542107.

Valkenburg, P. M., Meier, A., & Beyens, I. (2022). Social media use and its impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence. Current opinion in psychology, 44, 58-68.